Gaming
Serve and Volley as World Tennis League Sets Bengaluru Match in Motion
MUMBAI: Bengaluru is about to trade traffic for tie-breaks as the World Tennis League (WTL) swings into India for the first time, promising four days of high-octane rallies, bold matchups and a format built for pure adrenaline. Set to take over the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium from 17 to 20 December, the Bengaluru debut brings a snappy, strategy-heavy twist to conventional tennis and fans are already racing to Bookmyshow as Phase 1 tickets go live.
WTL 2025 will roll out a fast, four-set structure covering Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and two Doubles sets, with captains deciding their doubles line-up right after winning the pre-match toss. The twist continues with a games-won format: it’s not the sets but the total games that crown the winner, putting pressure on every rally and turning even a single break of serve into match-changing currency.
League play will see each team face off once, with the top two advancing to the final. Two ties a day guarantee a steady parade of high-tempo tennis, with traditional scoring retained Deuce replaced by a nail-biting Golden Point, tie-breaks at 6-6, and a fourth-set surge potentially unlocking Overtime. If teams pull level, a Super Shootout settles the score, ensuring no match ends without a final jolt.
THE FIXTURES
Day 1 | 17 December
Match 1: VB Realty Hawks vs Aussie Mavericks Kites
Match 2: AOS Eagles vs Game Changers Falcons
Day 2 | 18 December
Match 1: Aussie Mavericks Kites vs AOS Eagles
Match 2: Game Changers Falcons vs VB Realty Hawks
Day 3 | 19 December
Match 1: AOS Eagles vs VB Realty Hawks
Match 2: Game Changers Falcons vs Aussie Mavericks Kites
Finals | 20 December
Day 1 opens with a clash of style and swagger as the VB Realty Hawks take on the Aussie Mavericks Kites, followed by the AOS Eagles locking horns with the defending champions Game Changers Falcons, a lineup that blends personalities, power and plenty of early fireworks. Day 2 ups the tempo as the Kites return against the Eagles, before the blockbuster Falcons vs Hawks tie takes centre stage, featuring heavy hitters like Medvedev, Bopanna, Shapovalov and Svitolina and promising wall-to-wall drama.
By Day 3, the stakes thicken as AOS Eagles vs VB Realty Hawks sets the tone, paving the way for a Falcons vs Kites duel that looks destined to unleash a flurry of shot-making. By the time the finals arrive on 20 December, the week’s natural rivalries, emotional momentum and championship nerves will have done their work ensuring a finale charged with anticipation.
As Bengaluru gears up for this landmark edition, buzz is building for a format designed around intensity, atmosphere and unpredictability. With global stars, rising contenders and an enthusiastic home crowd converging for a never-seen-before contest style, the World Tennis League’s India debut is shaping up to be a rally worth remembering.
Gaming
IICT signs three MoUs to boost AVGC-XR and esports
Partnerships with Zenfluencers, Yologram and Eruditio at Chennai Gaming Show 2026 strengthen education, XR innovation and nationwide talent outreach.
MUMBAI: IICT has just levelled up the game in a big way. The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies signed three strategic Memorandums of Understanding on 17 April 2026 at the CII Summit FX – India Gaming Show in Chennai, forging alliances with The Zenfluencers, Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. and Eruditio Consultants to accelerate India’s AVGC-XR ecosystem.
The tie-ups combine IICT’s strengths in education, skilling and research with specialist expertise across esports, immersive technologies and large-scale outreach.
- With The Zenfluencers, IICT will roll out globally benchmarked esports programmes, including joint certification courses, industry workshops, tournaments and masterclasses, creating clear career pathways across the full esports value chain.
- The partnership with Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. focuses on gaming, immersive storytelling and extended reality (XR), delivering industry-aligned curriculum, faculty mentorship, student showcases and collaborative research in immersive AI and virtual production.
- Collaboration with Eruditio Consultants targets awareness, accessibility and career alignment, with nationwide counsellor training, institutional engagement and structured guidance frameworks to reach students beyond Tier-1 cities.
IICT CEO Vishwas Deoskar said, “As the AVGC-XR sector evolves at a rapid pace, strong collaborations between industry and academia are essential. These partnerships will create meaningful impact across education, innovation and outreach.”
Yologram Style Pvt. Ltd. founder Aditya Mani added, “AI-driven creator worlds are transforming games into engines of culture, commerce and careers. Together we aim to empower a generation to build immersive futures.”
Eruditio Consultants founder Indrajit Ghosh noted, “This is not just about awareness, it is about building a structured ecosystem that connects aspiration with opportunity.”
The Zenfluencers CEO Atharva Gupta said, “This MoU is a big unlock moment for the esports ecosystem in India. We’re building a structured pipeline for talent across the full stack.”
By bringing together academia, industry leaders and ecosystem players, IICT is creating scalable models that blend cutting-edge skills with real-world relevance. In a sector racing toward the future, these three partnerships ensure India’s next generation of creative technologists won’t just keep up, they’ll set the pace.
